Re: Yet another Alternate Timeline of the Twilight War
 

Something else that could prop up the Soviet economy 1980-96, perhaps rising oil prices, rather than declining. I read that somewhere else that the Soviets lost a lot of ground when they couldn't profit from oil/gas exporting.

Meanwhile, over in *my* 1998 Soviet invasion of Sweden
 

It just struck me that if I'm dragging the US Marines into Sweden as an assist to the Swedes, why not bring the 6th US LID? They'd just left Norway the previous autumn, and would be an easier lift from Germany. I suspect they might be better suited to the northern climate and mountains, too. (Though, they would be just as fine in the Alps, as RAW.)

Light Fighters
 

Good call. I agree that light infantry units would be better suited to most of Scandinavia than mechanized infantry.

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Corroboration
 

I came across these resources while doing some research on Cold War Soviet strategy re nominally neutral Finland and Sweden.

https://www.marines.mil/portals/1/Pu...-11-163241-220

https://www.rand.org/content/dam/ran...2007/R3776.pdf

An assessment of Soviet military intentions re Sweden during the last two decades of the Cold War begins on p. 42 (p. 56 of the PDF).

Both studies conclude that the Soviets had strategic motives for mounting a preemptive strike against either or both neutral Scandinavian countries in the event of an imminent, wider European war v. NATO.

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Still flogging this idea
 

I spent some time on this tonight, and can summarize the early 2000 positions:

Soviets: south of Stockholm and Lake Malaren, south to Norrkoping and Linkoping:
9th Guards Army: 1st GMRD, 3rd MRD, 138th MRD; undefined supporting units
76th Guards air-assault division, Baltic Fleet's Naval Infantry Brigade, some spetsnaz survivors.
- way up around Kiruna: 64th MRD, with a very tenuous command link to 26th Corps and the Arctic Front around Murmansk.


US: 6th Light Division, around Orebro, with its left flank anchored on Lake Malaren.
42nd Infantry Division, south of them, in contact with Soviets near Askersund.
76th and 80th Light Infantry Divisions spread across southern Sweden between the Lakes Vanern and Vattern, all the way back to the coast around Goteborg. Since IMO the IV Corps deployed without a lot of the normal support and service units, these lightly-armed troops have been converted into service to do a lot of these things: signals, supply, transport, etc., in addition to a lot of patrolling and garrison of a region filled with refugees from the cities, as well as Denmark and even Germany.

2nd Marine Division and the air and support elements of II MEF, on the Swedish coast south of Vastervik.
I figure there's also a sizable US Navy element, both beached sailors performing support duties, and running boats on the many lakes and connecting rivers, and an amphibious force with at least a little escort, for the Marines (leaving in summer for the Polish coast).

NATO: still not decided here, maybe the Canadian 4th Brigade alongside the US 42nd Division's right?

Swedish, still pretty vague: 5 "North" brigades watching the 64th from the south and west.
approximately 6 reduced-strength brigades spaced out between there and the Dal River, 6 more between the Dal River and Lake Malaren, 6 spaced around the Soviet lodgment, perhaps separating the two American forces, and 6 more patrolling the heavily populated area south of the front line, all the way to the southern tip of the country.

Questions for all:
1. Anyone have OBs for Swedish brigades? I don't seem to have any.

2. Since the Soviet divisions are Category 2 or lower, I'm thinking their tanks and other heavy stuff won't be the most modern. Someone told me (on Facebook, I think?) that Soviet amphibious lift could only handle T-55s. While most of the shipping for the non-naval infantry would be heavier than the amphibious craft, this being a secondary theater with limited lines of communications back home, it seems like a good enough reason for Soviet leadership to foist crappier equipment on these guys. Anyone have a serious argument with equipping the 3 divisions with T-55 as MBTs? Or should I "splurge" and make them T-62s. Having them all with the same tank (and BTR 152, etc.) would simplify the logistics, and we all know the Sovs love to simplify, right?

This was put together by a wargamer. I don't know what sources he based it on, but it sure looks nice.

https://www.fireandfury.com/orbats/modcwsweden.pdf

I don't think that's true. Soviet Naval Infantry regimental ORBATs list T-55s and T-72s for their tank battalions as far back as the mid-1980s (I was just looking at Osprey's Warsaw Pact Elite Forces last night). Also, I've seen plenty of photos of T-72s unloading from Zubr and Aist-class assault LCACs.

Keep in mind that, according to Soviet operational doctrine, the Naval Infantry were only really supposed to seize the beachhead for heavier follow on forces (from the army).

Soviet RORO ships (or equivalent) were intended to deliver heavy units (motor rifles and tank) divisions once a suitable harbor/port had been secured by the "marines". Those civilian merchant vessels could carry anything in the Soviet arsenal, so don't let your equipment choices be limited by shipping capabilities.

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THat's kind of what I thought. Since they are lower-readiness divisions, I might still stick 'em with T-62s for uniformity.